Blank Canvas: A Conversation with Sophron Notes
"We are all made unique in God’s eyes"
When's the last time you've had quality tea? Exactly.
Sophron Notes, run by Diana and Edwin, is the answer to all your tea problems ;)
This is our exchange:
I'm so excited to have you involved in Blank Canvas! How’s life been so far?
Edwin: Thank you for having us! Life’s been pretty awesome this year. We got married a few months ago in March. Since then, we've been really just settling in.
Congratulations on your marriage! To start off, what is Sophron Notes?
Diana: Sophron Notes is a small tea business Edwin & I run together. I wanted to explore herbal remedy making through the avenue of tea crafting.
Edwin: Diana comes up with all the tea blends in our collection and I take care of our admin, inventory and behind the scenes. Our teas are available on our website and are stocked at select stores.
They are all handcrafted from our own home, and each blend has a unique remedy.
The name "Sophron Notes" is unique. What does it mean?
Diana: I stumbled on an old Greek word one day: ‘sophrosyne’.
It resonated with me.
A soundness and balance in the mind… more or less, prudence, purity and moderation.
‘Sophron’ (pronounced like soe-fronn) is the adjective and ‘Notes’ could hint to the notes in a flavour or aroma.
Running a business is no doubt the hardest thing... How do you stay inspired?
Edwin: I find a lot of inspiration from meeting other business owners, travelling and seeing different businesses.
Diana: When I see someone’s joy and freedom in their creativity, whether it’s from an artist or a brand, I feel inspired. That feeling compels me to echo the same attitude in my craft.
How do you combat burnouts?
Edwin: I experience burnout maybe once a month. I normally just spend one Saturday each month doing absolutely nothing and that has helped me a lot.
Diana: I’m studying a degree in Naturopathy right now. So studying full-time, juggling 2 casual jobs and our tea business means I often fear about burnout haha!
I’m learning not to overexert for perfectionism and I try to appreciate every hurdle that comes our way, zooming out to the bigger picture when things get tough.
My challenge in all this is being perfectly okay with all of it too!
Media by Sophron Notes
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Edwin: Enjoy all the times hanging out with friends and family. Nowadays, it’s so much harder to get everyone together.
Diana: Don’t compare yourself to anyone. We are all made unique in God’s eyes.
Please tell us your dream for Sophron Notes and for your personal life :)
Edwin: I’d love for the brand to be a staple in retail stores and people’s kitchen pantry.
Diana: I’d love Sophron Notes to sit within my future dream shop and apothecary. Personally, I think I just want to try to have as much fun as possible with the journey, taking it all in as a creative ride of trials and errors, alongside Edwin’s dreams :)
What can we expect from you at the Blank Canvas event?
Expect an exclusive iced tea stall on the day, as well as stocking a small run of all our tea jars in person.
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